

With a 1.8 litre engine and a maximum speed of 75mph sticking to Jersey’s blanket 40mph speed limit wouldn’t have been a problem, but the size of this undeniably beautiful car (it’s 64 inches wide) makes it a somewhat impractical choice for navigating narrow island roads.
#Iconical cars vintage movies tv
What’s the deal with solo British TV detectives and classic cars? Jim Bergerac’s choice for pootling around Jersey and solving improbable crimes was a gleaming burgundy Triumph Roadster. Proof, as if further proof was needed, of just how iconic the cars used in British TV shows can become even now. And Gene Hunt would no doubt be delighted to know that thanks to his patronage of the classic Audi Quattro demand for 1980s models doubled. Getting from 0 to 60 mph in less than six seconds and a top speed of 140mph helps. This is the 1980s, and Hunt’s sporty, four-wheel drive, red Audi Quattro is perfect for throwing around corners and mowing down piles of cardboard boxes in the high-speed pursuit of villains. “Fire up the Quattro!” barks Detective Inspector Gene Hunt. Okay, so Mr Bean’s mini has doors that bolt on the outside and a removable steering wheel for security, but these modifications don’t detract from the fact that the Mark IV British Leyland Mini 1000 is a worthy co-star: can you picture Mr Bean driving anything else? 5. But funny? Place it in the hands of Rowan Atkinson’s hapless and mute comic creation Mr Bean and suddenly a humble citron green Mini 1000 becomes not only funny, but also iconic and even desirable. Is the original British Mini, a car design classic, an intrinsically funny car? Compact, reliable, economical and practical – certainly. Mark IV British Leyland Mini 1000, Mr Bean With demanding car chases a staple of this action-packed show, the Mark III Capri was a natural choice, not only for its speed but for its (then) sleek lines and agile handling.
#Iconical cars vintage movies series
‘ The Professionals’? With its menacing throaty growl, the souped-up 3 litre Mark III Capri stood out in a series that featured many other cars that are considered classics today. Are we talking about the car or Bodie and Doyle, mercenary crime-fighters a.k.a. Tough, reliable, responsive, fast and able to cope in a sticky situation. Roger Moore was so impressed by the Volvo P1800 that he bought one for himself. For the next seven years Moore drove instead a Volvo P1800: a stylish 2 litre sports car that symbolised Simon Templar’s virtuous, good-looking, sophisticated yet adventurous nature. Initially a Jaguar was sought, but the company turned down The Saint’s producers fearing that the programme would be unsuccessful.

Roger Moore’s embodiment of the suave Samaritan Simon Templar meant that nothing less than an ultra-cool car would suffice. Eschewing the director’s suggestion that Number Six should drive a Lotus Elan, McGoohan himself picked out the Lotus 7 arguing that the lightweight two-seater sports car better reflected Number Six’s maverick and freedom-loving persona. Nothing was conventional in the surreal world of the 1960s series The Prisoner, including the choice of car for the lead character Number Six, played by Patrick McGoohan. The 1960 Mark II Jaguar was driven by Morse star John Thaw in all thirty-three episodes that were made, becoming indelibly associated with the character.


Perfectly fulfilling its designer’s intent to provide ‘grace, pace and space’ the 2.4 litre-engine classic driven by Oxford’s foremost Detective Inspector symbolised attention to detail, reliability and refinement – characteristics discernible in Morse himself. Besides real ale, opera and crosswords, the love of Morse’s life is his burgundy Mark II Jaguar.
